Although we’re only four months in, 2018 has already been rife with scandal and controversy. For the most part, they tend to revolve around Donald Trump and his sexual assault accusers, mistresses, underlings and lawyers. But the one that has had the most pervasive implications for United States citizens...

Fueled by the recent nationwide student walkouts and the worldwide student-led “March for our Lives,” the topic of gun law reform has dominated the national conversation of late. While it is impossible to predict the impact these protests will have, it is beyond obvious that serious changes must...

On the average day in the United States, there are approximately 87,000 commercial airline flights. Of those flights, nearly 20 percent are delayed, and around 5 percent of those delays are the fault of the air carriers. In addition, slightly over 1 percent of daily flights are cancelled.
While 1...

The JSC Student Government Association’s main purpose is to represent students and help them out whenever possible. One of those ways is through mini-grants.
Mini-grants are funded by money that is stored away by the SGA to go to students in need of financial assistance. The use of these grants...

Winter depression (or winter blues) is a common affliction for those who live in our northern climate. Its clinical name is seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and up to 5 percent of the population (especially in northern states) may suffer from it.
Seasonal affective disorder is characterized by feelings...

Recent studies show that being outside has both positive psychological and physiological benefits. Ecotherapy (also known as green therapy, nature therapy, and earth-centered therapy) is contact with nature and is a powerful new kind of therapy. It has been found to be just as effective against depression...

The Vermont State Colleges System (VSCS) is a major workforce pipeline delivering entrepreneurs and workers to power our state’s economy. As a system, Castleton University, Community College of Vermont, Northern Vermont University – Johnson and Lyndon, and Vermont Technical College annually confer...

Addiction is a disease with several causal factors – genetics, environment, personal behavior, and experience, in the form of trauma. The relationship between trauma and substance abuse is complicated and closely intertwined. In other words, the road between the two goes both ways, and the negative...

With the spring 2018 semester officially in session, we are now a mere four months away from Johnson State College (JSC) and Lyndon State College (LSC) officially merging under the umbrella of Northern Vermont University (NVU).
Regardless of whether you are students, faculty, staff, or administrators,...

Donald Trump’s presidency represents an unprecedented crisis for our country. His campaign, and now his White House, seek to divide us using racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia and xenophobia. His economic agenda is the agenda of the billionaire class. He wants more tax breaks for the rich, while...

This commentary is by Dr. Rick Barnett, a clinical psychologist and addiction specialist in private practice in Stowe who founded Carter Inc. to expand addiction-related resources in Vermont. He is legislative chair and a past president of the Vermont Psychological Association, and serves as a member...

The end of the year is, once again, nearly upon us.
Around this time last year, many people were looking back on the events of 2016 with horror, proclaiming it to be one of the worst years in recent history and celebrating its end. With Syria, Brexit, the U.S. election and the deaths of numerous beloved...

One of the major, untold stories of our time is the rapid movement toward global oligarchy, in which just a handful of billionaires now own and control a significant part of the world economy.
Here in the United States, the top one-tenth of 1% owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 90%. Incredibly,...

Winter is upon us. And with it, a visceral sense of transition- a tangible reminder of inescapable change. Although New England endures four seasonal shifts throughout the year, for some reason the move into winter can feel the heaviest. Life is literally slowing down. We find ourselves closing off....

The internet: a place commonly known for its collections of cat videos, bizarre memes, and the potential websites that live in the Incognito Modes of your closest friends and family.
Whatever you may use it for, the internet is undoubtedly part of your life — most likely a more significant part...

The United States faces a major crisis in primary health care, and unless Congress acts immediately it is likely to become much worse.
Millions of Americans are at risk of losing their access to health care because Congress did not renew funding for the community health center program at the end of...

College is a very pivotal time in a person’s life. It involves continuous growth and development, and comes with many unique and exciting opportunities. College life can also be difficult and stressful at times. Students bounce around from class, to their dorms, to the library, and to their extracurricular...

Last week, Lyndon and Johnson each hosted an event to celebrate the finalized branding for Northern Vermont University. With cookies, cider, t-shirts and custom NVU M&Ms, participation meant not only getting into the spirit of the oncoming unification but also the promise of free stuff.
Still,...

Exercise and Wellbeing
Is the impending winter filling you with doom and gloom? Introducing a one-stop shop for happiness, health, and wellness: EXERCISE!
For some of us, the sound of exercising is a darker prospect than any night in the upcoming winter months. While I doubt I can change your mind...

The Student Government Association (SGA), led by President Shavonna Bent, and vice president Kate Abdel-Fatah, has been very successful throughout the past few weeks.
New members of the executive board have been appointed and have begun their duties. Senior DJ Jallow was appointed as the new Director...

I got an email recently, notifying me of a new blog post from an author whose work I’ve admired for a few years now. Her writing workshops have done wonders for my own writing and I’ve enjoyed each of her books I’ve read.
Her recent blog post, however, both surprised and perturbed me when I...

In 2016, the Democratic Party lost the presidency to possibly the least popular candidate in American history. In recent years, Democrats have also lost the Senate and House to right-wing Republicans whose extremist agenda is far removed from where most Americans are politically. Republicans now control...

Editor’s Note: Ted Thorndike, M.A., AAP, is a clinical counselor at the JSC Wellness Center.
The world of mental health and substance abuse diagnosing and treatment can sometimes seem like an ambiguous, vague and confusing abyss. To add to this abyss for some patients is what’s known...

What does it mean to be an American?
A big question, to be sure, and one that could easily garner a multitude of different responses. However, an oft-cited perk of being an American citizen is that all-empowering notion of “freedom.”
Let’s define the word, shall we? Merriam-Webster’s first...

Editor’s Note: Ted Thorndike, M.A., AAP, is a clinical counselor at the JSC Wellness Center.
This being the first article of an ongoing section of Words of Wellness, I want to take the opportunity to provide students with campus and local resources related to mental health and substance abuse su...

Editor’s Note: Bent is SGA president.
The Student Government Association is off to a productive start of the academic year.
Kate Abdel-Fatah is serving as pro-tempore of the senate.
Dana Prouty, Micah Hayes and Sara Ford are all returning for their second years. Chris Magnani...

Before I say anything else, I think it’s only appropriate to start with an enthusiastic, “Welcome back,” to everyone who has been away for the summer. If this is your first year at JSC, then I offer you an even more enthusiastic, “Welcome!” Although it can be tough to get your brain back into...

Well, this is it: the final regular Basement Medicine issue of the spring 2017 semester.
For a first semester as editor, it’s been pretty great. I could hardly have asked for a better staff — though we be but little, we are fierce, to paraphrase Shakespeare. This great news machine has...

Whoever said that it’s boring to talk about the weather clearly never lived in New England. Ever since we had our first taste of spring back in February, Mother Nature has been changing her mind like a dog with too many toys.
“You’ve been enjoying the 50 degree weather?” she asks us. “That’s...

If someone said to a child, “I am going to make your Mom and Dad pay more for their health insurance and that will mean you will be poorer,” most of us would find it insulting to say the least. Well, while that is not the message being delivered by the majority in Congress and President Trump, that...